Skip to main content

Blog #4 Polarization

The rise of the “newer formats” was followed by the 2000 presidential election, so the environment was ripe for a more extreme political polarization to infect the country. It does seem like there has been a loss of mutual respect between opposing ideologies along with a reluctance to engage in civil discourse over pressing issues of the day. The word “compromise” has been forgotten by so many political pundits, and that has seemed to rub off on audiences.  When both sides are always in attack mode while simultaneously digging in their heels to promote their own agenda, it would appear unlikely that any real progress may be made. 


With that being said, I do believe that this kind of programming has engaged a greater number of people, which can be good for democracy.  The entertainment value of the shows may be what initially increased viewership, but the result is more people watching and therefore learning about current affairs.  Certainly that can be considered a positive step towards a democracy for all of the people.

Comments

  1. Steve MacekApril 11, 2017 at 3:05 PM

    Sheila, you touch on the "loss of mutual respect between opposing ideologies." that seems to prevail on these "newer formats." I think this is one of the things that turns people off to politics these days, young people especially. Why would anyone get involved in politics or participate in ideological debates if doing so meant opening oneself up to denigration, mockery and ridicule? And if, as you say, no real compromise between opposing points of view seems possible. That said, I personally think they are some issues about which compromise is impossible.

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Blog Week 3: Expert Commentary, Expert Testimony, Academic Fields

Regardless of the issue being discussed, it sure seems like Economics and Political Science have been the most thoroughly represented disciplines in the media, at least since 2008 and the Great Recession. It’s hard to blame the media for such a focus because it seems like that’s what most viewers want to hear about.  Of course the financial health of the country and its citizens will always be a hot topic, and between the auto industry’s near collapse, the banking/mortgage fiasco, and subsequent high unemployment levels all coinciding with the beginning of Obama’s presidency, the media always had relevant economic news to cover. And since the government became heavily involved in each of those crises, political commentary proved of equal interest.  Add to that the partisan shenanigans that exploded with Obama’s presidency, which have shown no signs of slowing down, and the media continues to have persistent political news to cover and analyze by bringing on political intellec...
Post a Comment
Read more

Class Comments Blog Post

I found the required books for this course really, really interesting, especially the Space of Public Opinion and Nobody.   The progression of the media’s reporting and commenting about current news has changed so much with the advent of the internet.   It seemed like everyone tuned into the nightly network news when I was a kid, but not I don’t really hear anyone talking about last night’s broadcasts.   I can say that I don’t even know the names of the 3 major networks evening broadcasters.   We’ve switched from trusting a knowledgeable news journalist or two to trusting sound bites provided by basically anyone with a Twitter account. But honestly, what will stick with me the most about the class is Hill’s book, Nobody. Hill makes it so apparent that our country has done a lousy job of caring for and providing opportunities for the most vulnerable.   It’s an overwhelming reality that has absolutely no easy solution. I only hope that our leaders and future ...
Post a Comment
Read more

Bolg #5: Op-Ed topic

I am recommending that large, diverse high schools restructure into small College and Career Academies to better serve the needs of all students.  Some students are better off learning a trade as they prepare to enter the job market.  
Post a Comment
Read more